Drive-peg toy



NW. 8, 13949 0. F. LARSEN, JR

DRIVE-PEG TOY Filed April 12, 1945 ATTOQNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1949 DRIVE-PEG TOY Olai F. Larsen, Jr., Demarest, N. 3., assignor to Noma Electric Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 12, 1945, Serial No. 587,863

' 11 Claims.

This invention relates to reversible drive-peg toys, i. e., toys having a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in a board, the pegs being longer than the board is thick, whereby they project from a top or I board, and a projecting end of a peg may be pounded with a hammer to drive the peg part way through the board and cause the other end of the peg to project from the opposite face of the board.

It is an object of the invention to provide a reversible drive-peg toy wherein the pegs are so disposed that they may be driven naturally by a young child.

A further object of the invention is to provide an easily reversible drive-peg toy in which the surfaces of the peg carrying board are unclogged with supporting elements, so that a child can hammer the pegs without fear of striking anything except a peg.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a drive-peg toy in which the peg carrying board may be reversed simply, yet without having to turn the entire toy upside down.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the constructions hereinafter described,

and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in whichare shown various possible embodiments of this in-- vention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a reversible drive-peg toy embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view therethrough, taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the toy taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

At the present time commercial reversible drive-peg toys comprise a squat, H-shaped frame of which the crossbar of the H is a fiat board in which a plurality of pegs is tightly received in holes through which the same may be driven by pounding the pegs with a hammer. The uprights of the H function as supports to preventthe pegs from striking the floor when they are driven. These uprights extend to both sides of the crossbar, inasmuch as the toy must be capable of being turned upside down to expose the pegs projecting from the lower surface of the crossbar so that they too can be driven.

Such construction has several drawbacks. In

bottom surface of the the first place, the uprights clog the surface of the board from which pegs project, so that a child trying to strike a peg, instead is likely to strike an upright. Secondly, the entire toy must be turned upside down to ready the rather heavy toy for further use after the projecting ends of the pegs have been driven flush with the upper surface of the board.

It has been proposed to overcome these drawbacks by providing a peg carrying board which is slidably received in the open end of a box by tongue and groove joints. This, however, entailed too difficult a reversing operation for av child as young as one for whose use the toy is intended.

In addition, I have observed that young children have considerable difiiculty in driving the pegs. This I have determined is due to the fact that small children are unable to naturally handle a hammer in such manner as to bring its driving face down flat against the top of a peg.

Pursuant to my invention, I avoid all these drawbacks by providing a drive-peg toy whose peg carrying board is pivotally mounted at one end thereof, whereby said board may be swung over easily to expose either face from which pegs project. The support for the opposite end of the board is so arranged that said end is always lower than'the pivotally mounted end, thereby inclining the surface of the board and causing the axes of the pegs to be likewise inclined so that a child can drive the pegs more naturally. Since only the peg carrying board, and not the entire toy, is reversed the supporting elements need not extend above the upper surface of the board in either of its positions.

Referring now to the drawings, and, more particularly, to Figs. 1-3, It denotes a reversible drive-peg toy embodying my invention. Said toy comprises a rectangular frame consisting of two wooden side boards l2, l4 and two wooden end boards I6, [8 held in assembled relationship by any suitable connecting means, not shown, such as glue, jointing, screws, nuts and boltsor pins.

The peg carrying element comprises a flat wooden board 20 having a plurality of normal apertures 22 running from the upper face 24 to the lower face 26 of the board. Pegs 28 eceived in the apertures have their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the board. The pegs are of such size that they snugly fit in the apertures. If desired, said pegs may have diametrical kerfs 30 cut in both ends thereof, the kerfs at the two ends of each peg being at right angles and overlapping each other so that the pegs are resiliently constrictable over their entire length.

One end 32 of the pe carrying board 20 is rotatably mounted on the frame of the toy. Any suitable means may be employed to effect such mounting. By way of example, I have shown said end of the board provided with an elongated bore 34 in which a pivot pin 36 is received. Said pin is snugly fitted in apertures 31 in the side boards l;2,- I4 and theen'ds of the pin are headed'to prevent the plnfrombeing axially displaced.

The opposite end 38 of the board 20 rests on the top edge of one or the other end boards-.14},i 18. Thus it will be seen that the peg carrying board may be swung easily fromraposition inwhichi-it rests on one of said end boards, .to"'a-position1in which it rests on the other of said end boards. This constitutes the construction-Whichenables my toy to have the peg carrying board reversed simply and easily, Without the necessity of turning the entire toy.

.'In= Fig.12the solid. line showing ofthepeg car- .rying board 120 .illustrates .the position of i said ,iboard-andpegs when allofthei pegs havehad their upperendsjdriven infiush with the topof theboard. The dot-and-dash ,lineshowing of the peg carryingboardin the same figure-indicates the position of ,said board andgp g. after the board has been turned about the pivot pin 36.

.It. will be observed that the: projecting ends of the .pegs which, when-onthe righthand side of .the

toy were concealed, .arenow exposed and ready :for the child tohammer downyagain into the board.

To present a pleasing appearance to.the-ty,-I

.prefer to locate thepivotpin 36 approximately.

midway-between-thetwo end boards l6, [-8.

It will. be. appreciated that the, frame=need, not

.beinverted to support the peg carrying board 20 .above. the floor, in either of. the'reversed positions of the board. Thentwo upper edgesof the'side with the top. .surface of the peg carrying board and in no event to extend substantially above said surface, thereby avoiding. the presence of any encumbrance on the operative surfaceof-the board .andyet. not i so complicating the manipulation of the toy that ayoung. child can nolonger handle hand being struck whenlthe board is turned.

To .incline the operative surface of .the ,peg carrying board'Zll I may 50 dispose the, pin 36.,vvith regard to the top edges of the end lboaridsflfi, 'l8 that the rotatablymounted end 32 of. saidlboard will be disposed either below. or above, thejfree. end

38 of said .board whichrests upon one ofthe other .of such top edges. arranged that thegrotatably mountedend "132 of the board; is higher than the free end .38 thereof,

I prefer 1 to have ,the pinso as-this enables a-childtc sit right nexttothe board while the same slopesdowntowardfihim. Desirably the'tope'dges of the two end boards l6, is are substantiallythesame height, so that in 3 either I position the board will slope at approximately the same angle. It will be understood,

' however," that-this is -not necessarily to be construed as 4 a limitation upon the invention.

lghave found that when theboard is'inclined at about an angle.of10"to'the'iioorachild can drive pegs very naturally. However,. driving ,of

,the pegs by atot is, greatly facilitatedbytilting "the board from as little asf5 to.as..much.as.45.

boards preferably are so designed. as tobe flush 1 described, -or-sho wn intheaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in '-.a limiting sense.

i Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

.LrAdriVeQpegttOy comprising a peg carrying lzboardpaplurality-of pegs tightly fitte in through *apertures'in said board, said pegs being longer than the.boar.d.is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom-of the board and means to reversibly support said board ata sufiicient distance from .thelfloor topermit; the pegsto .be driven into. the board and proj eat: from .zthenlower; surface there- .of,.said,supporting means comprising .a frame .and .a mechanism torotatably mount one end. of

said board Oil-Said; frame.

2..A drive-P g toy. comprising a pegcarrying board, a plurality. of; pegs tightly fitted; in through .tapertures-in said -,board,..said pegswbeing longer ,than the-board :is; thick and disposed with .-..their longitudinal axes perpendicular to thetop and vbottomof the board, and ;means to reversibly supportvsaid board at .a sufficientdistancef-rom -.the fioorto permitmhepegs to be driveninto the board and project from the lower surface'thereof, said supporting means ;comprising 7 a frame and a mechanismltdrotatably mount oneendof said boardson .saidframe the-free endof-said boardresting-upon either. one of two-elements of ..said frame on. opposite. sides of; said mechanism.

- on opposite sides of said mechanism theiaxis of rotation of said rotatable. mounting mechanism being disposed out of the horizontal planeextending through .at :least :one of ;;.said elements to an extent sufificientl to-incline the board when resting: vonsaidone element.

,4. A drive-peg toy comprising, a-peg carrying board, a plurality'p 1 63s tightlyfitted in: through apertures in said board, said pegs being :longer ,thanthe boardtisith-ickand disposed with :their longitudinal .axes .perpendicular to .the :top and bottom of lthezboard, -and,,means ,to reversibly support. said board-at asufticient distanceifrom thefioor to permit: the pegs. .to be drivenintoythe board and projectfromthe lower surface-thereof, said a supporting means comprisin {a frame ;;an.d mechanism -to 1 rotatably mount one end; of said board on saicl'frame, :the free end of: said: board resting. uponv .one ottwo-elements of; said; framegon opposite sides ..of.-said. mechanism, theuaxis oft-rotation of said ,rotatable ,mounting nmechanism being disposed above.the;horizontal plane =.extending. throughat least one. of.,.s,aid= elements to an extent suflicient to slope the board down from said mechanism when resting on said one element.

5. A drive-peg toy comprising a four-sided frame, including two sides and two ends, the center of said sides being higher than the ends thereof, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board, said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board, and means to rotatably mount an end of said peg carrying board at the center of the sides, with the axis of rotation thereof above the top edges of the ends, the free end of said peg carrying board being adapted to rest upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends whereby said peg board in either such position is disposed at an angle to the floor.

6. A drive-peg toy comprising a four-sided frame, including two sides and two ends, the center of said side being higher than the ends thereof, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board,

said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board, and means to rotatably mount an end of said peg carrying board at the center of said sides,

with the axis of rotation thereof above the top 1 edges of the ends, the free end of said peg carrying board being adapted to rest upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends whereby said peg board in either such position is disposed at an angle to the floor, said top edges having an indentation therein to facilitate turning of the peg carrying board about said rotatable mounting means.

"I. A drive-peg toy comprising a four-sided frame, including two sides and two ends, the center of said sides being higher than the ends thereof, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board, said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board, means to rotatably mount an end of said peg carrying board at the center of the sides, with the axis rotation thereof above the top edges of the ends, the free end of said peg carrying board being adapted to rest upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends whereby said peg board in either suchposition is disposed at an angle to the floor, the top edges of said sides being so arranged and of such configuration that the same do not project substantially above the top surface of the peg carrying board in either position thereof.

8. A drive-peg toy comprising a frame, including two sides and two ends, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board, said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board, said peg carrying board being freely received between the two sides and having an end thereof resting upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends, and means to rotatably mount the other end of said peg carrying board between said sides whereby said board may be turned from a position in which one of its free ends rests upon the top edge of one of said ends to a position in which said free end rests upon the top edge of the other end.

9. A drive-peg toy comprising a frame, including two sides and two ends, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board, said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board, said peg carrying board being freely received between the two sides and having an end thereof resting upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends, and means to rotatably mount the other end of said peg carrying board between said sides whereby said board may be turned from a position in which one of its free ends rests upon the top edge of one of said ends to a position in which said free end rests upon the top edge of the other end, said rotatable mounting means being disposed substantially above the top edges of said ends, so that in either position said peg carrying board is disposed at an angle to the floor.

10. A drive-peg toy comprising a frame, including two sides and two ends, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board, said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board, said peg carrying board being freely received between the two sides and having an end thereof resting upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends, and means to rotatably mount the other end of said peg carrying board between said sides whereby said board may be turned from a position in which one of its free ends rests upon the top edge of one of said ends to a position in which said free end rests upon the top edge of the other end, said rotatable mounting means being disposed substantially above the top edges of said ends, so that in either position said peg carrying board i is disposed at an angle to the floor of from between 5 and 45.

11. A drive-peg toy comprising a frame, including two sides and two ends, a peg carrying board, a plurality of pegs tightly fitted in through apertures in said board, said pegs being longer than the board is thick and disposed with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the top and bottom of the board. said peg carrying board being freely received between the two sides and having an end thereof resting upon one or the other of the top edges of said ends, and means to rotatably mount the other end of said peg carrying board between said sides whereby said board may be turned from a position in which one of its free ends rests upon the top edge of one of said ends to a position in which said free end rests upon the top edge of the other end. said rotatable mounting means being disposed substantially above the top edges of said ends, so that in either position said peg carrying board is disposed at an angle to the floor of about 10.

OLAI F. LARSEN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 139,425 Schindler May 2'7, 1873 1,291,495 Harburger Jan. 14, 1919 2,102,449 Zimmerman Dec. 14, 1937 

